PM Modi holds ‘excellent talks’ with Egyptian President El-Sisi in Cairo

New Delhi/Cairo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held “excellent talks” with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and both sides agreed to further augment economic and cultural links. The two leaders also signed the agreement to elevate the bilateral ties to ‘Strategic Partnership’.
In a tweet, PM Modi, who held talks with President Sisi at the Al Itihadiyah Presidential Palace, said:
“The talks with President @AlsisiOfficial were excellent. We reviewed the full range of India-Egypt relations and agreed to further augment economic and cultural linkages.”
The PMO in a tweet said:
“Imparting new momentum to India-Egypt relations!
“PM @narendramodi and President @AlsisiOfficial held fruitful talks in Cairo. They deliberated on ways to deepen the multi-faceted partnership between both the nations.
“The leaders also signed agreement to elevate India-Egypt bilateral ties to “Strategic Partnership.””
Egypt’s Presidential Spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy said that such a signing reflects the two countries’ will to strengthen bilateral relations and affirms the shared and extended heritage between the governments and people of Egypt and India.
He quoted PM Modi as saying on the occasion: “We had the pleasure of receiving President El-Sisi as the chief guest at our Republic Day celebrations this year. These two visits in the span of a few months are a reflection of our rapidly evolving partnership with Egypt, which was elevated to a strategic partnership during President El-Sisi’s visit.”
The declaration was signed after the two leaders held talks to discuss topics of mutual interest such as increasing the volume of trade exchange, including of strategic commodities, as well as Indian investments in Egypt, explained Fahmy.
The two leaders also deliberated on regional and international topics, added the spokesperson.
PM Modi re-extended his invitation to Egypt to participate in the G20 meetings set to take place in New Delhi in September.
For his part, President El-Sisi expressed his trust in India’s leadership of the G20 as well as his country’s readiness to push discussions in constructive directions to reach optimal mechanisms to face energy crises, climate change, food shortages, as well as obtain financing for developing countries.
Egypt is confident that India’s leadership of the G20 will contribute to curbing the negative consequences of international challenges on the global economy, El-Sisi asserted, ahram online said.
The two leaders also probed expanding tourism and cultural exchange through easing direct flights between Cairo and New Delhi, the spokesperson continued.
Other topics discussed included communications, information technology, pharmaceutical manufacturing, vaccines, higher education, renewable energy and green hydrogen.
At the end of the meeting, the Egyptian president bestowed the ‘Order of the Nile’ – the country’s highest state honour – on PM Modi.
PM Modi arrived in Egypt on Saturday on his first official visit upon invitation from President El-Sisi in January.
According to an Indian readout, the two leaders warmly recalled the State Visit of President Sisi as the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations in January 2023, and welcomed the momentum it has imparted to bilateral relations. They agreed that the newly established ‘India Unit’ in Egyptian Cabinet was a useful tool in steering bilateral collaborations.
The leaders discussed ways to further deepen the partnership between the two countries, particularly in areas like trade and investment, information technology, defence and security, renewable energy, agriculture, health, culture and people to people ties.
Prime Minister and President Sisi also discussed further cooperation in G-20, highlighting the issues of food and energy insecurity, climate change and the need for Global South to have a concerted voice. Prime Minister Modi looked forward to welcoming President Sisi in New Delhi in September 2023 for the G20 Leaders Summit.
An agreement to elevate the bilateral relationship to a “Strategic Partnership” was signed by the to leaders. Three MoUs in the fields of Agriculture, Archaeology & Antiquities and Competition Law were also signed.
Prime Minister of Egypt, Mostafa Madbouly and a number of other senior Cabinet Ministers were present. From the Indian side, EAM, NSA and senior officials were present, the Indian statement said.
UNI